执友見證

I got a chance the other day to sit down having dinner with my father.

And it suddenly occurred to me that although we ate together for quite a few occasions, we had not been able to have the dinner table just to ourselves and we discussed and talked for some time after dinner.

My father is an Elder of our church and he sings the bass wonderfully. Father will turn 68 this year. Many years back, he suffered an unknown disease which started with flu-like symptoms. Not one week after the onset, he became hyperventilated and was admitted to a hospital for treatment. Soon after, he became too weak to even eat or drink and even in his sleep he had to use an oxygen mask to help him breath. The chest X-ray showed a big white patch.

Numerous tests were carried out to identify the disease but to no avail. Fluids were collected to determine if it was a bacterial infection into the lungs – it was negative. Blood tests were done to determine if it could be a systemic infection – negative also. However, results on major organ functions were turning bad. Bottles and bottles of antibiotic (Gentamicin), salt solutions were fed into my father’s veins, and at this stage, he developed jaundice. My father was transferred into the ICU, still breathing with the aid of oxygen mask. We investigated further on hepatitis & typhoid fever but the results were all negative. Repeated tests of suspected disease with incubation period were negative again.

Seeing my father’s laborious breathing condition and deteriorating health, the Specialist treating my father suggested to put him on the ventilator. Being on the ventilator meant that my father will be fully anesthetized, so that the equipment will help him breath and let the body rest. It was at that moment that our family realized how serious my father’s situation was.

After we prayed, we left father to the doctors’ hands. When we were allowed to see him again, he was peacefully sleeping. All we heard was just the beeps of equipments and the breath-in breath-out rhythm of the ventilator.

Friends from church and work, relatives and neighbors came and went. They sent their prayers, food, support and love. We were grateful to them. We practically stayed in the hospital 24hrs. Although I worked in the laboratory attached to the same hospital, I had to take leave as I needed to be around my father. I only went into the office to check the blood test results.

One Saturday night, his vital signs suddenly turned really bad and the ward called a few Specialists to perform emergency procedure to save my father’s life. I did not know of this at first, one of the Specialists told me a few days later.

When I saw father again on the Sunday after the emergency, his conditions had stabilized and from then on, he gradually improved and the ventilator was taken away. He started to breath normally again, the lung X-rays cleared. I just thought God had answered our prayers, and my father was getting better. At this time, almost 10 days after admitting into hospital, we got his Widal Weil-Felix results with high titre shown for Weil-Felix test – an indication of significant antibody rise in respond to Rickettsial infection.

The following days were filled with joy, to see father smile, saying a few words softly because the tube used to help his breathing somehow hurt the soft tissues in his throat. On the day my father was to be transferred back to general observation room, a Urologist who attended the same church happened to be visiting and he helped push my father’s bed all the way from ICU and helped shave my father’s face clean. All the nurses were so surprise as to why this patient is so special to deserve the service of this Urologist who is well known for his non-compromising ways.

It was later when I recalled what the Specialist said about the emergency on Saturday night, that I realized it was the Good Friday-Easter weekend when it happened. I have always felt that what my father went through during that incident symbolized what Christ had gone through when he was crucified on the cross.

It brought a whole new meaning to me on what Resurrection really is.

Today we are not able to feel how Jesus went through those moments of suffering under the ridicule and injustice of men, and then he was nailed on the cross, died, buried and descended into hell. But He rose victoriously on the third day, conquering death and brought us hope of salvation and eternal life. These are not something we deserve but because of love, we can own them if we want to.

It took me more than 10 years, to actually sit down and write this experience. I wanted to do this before I turn old and forgetful and I must thank all those who had helped us and prayed for us whenever we were in need. God bless.